Enough of COVID...what are you doing to the house? | Page 310 | GTAMotorcycle.com

Enough of COVID...what are you doing to the house?

backmarkerducati said:
Just consider the cost benefit.

How much do you pay in heat/cooling per year today?
How much do you expect to save per year?
How much will it cost to insulate?

Example 1, say you pay 6K per year to heat and cool the house.
Insulating will drop that by say 33% (no idea just a number).
Total project will cost 20K (again just a number).

In the above the savings are 2K per year in heating and cooling. It will take roughly 20 years to break even (ignoring TVM), even the government would have a hard time justifying that ROI.

Example 2, 4K in heating and cooling per year
Say 33% savings again (IDK, just a number)
Total project cost 50K

We get a savings of 1.3K per year but an ROI of 38 years, much longer with TVM.

Positive game changers, possible gov rebates, increasing energy costs, and possibly the increase value of the house, but that is only when/if it is sold.... and covering brick may make it a wash in value, IDK.

Negative game changers, TVM and interest on the initial costs (loan or lost opportunity).

Low hanging fruit is air sealing, specially doors and windows...

As another example, in the context of the above calcs is a high efficiency furnace:

Old furnace is running at 85%
New one will be 95%
Current heating costs are say 4K per year.
New heating costs will be around $3.6K, saving $400 per year.
New furnace with install 3K
ROI is 7.5 years (ignoring TVM which makes it longer) assuming the old furnace does not need to be replaced of course.
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We did ours 30 years ago, ripping off the plaster and strapping. It was replaced with 2X4s FG and DW.

DIY it was worth it. Assume about 1500 SF of drywall with associated lumber, insulation and vapour barrier. I don't know if $20 per linear foot covers it but it would be around $3600 for ours.

I measured the temperature of the dining room wall (67°F) and the living room (63°F). The living room is the only room not done. I approximate a 2 watt per square foot higher energy cost for the LR. That would equate to running two plug in electric heaters all winter and possibly affect part of the summer if air conditioning is similarly used.

Comfort factor: Your body radiates heat towards a cold object and even if the air temperature is decent you will feel cold. Warm the wall and you can set the thermostat lower.

Power outage: Well insulated gives you more time before you have to set fire to the piano.

Resale value would be minimally affected. People pay for square footage and to a small degree, bling.

To pay someone to do the job doesn't make financial sense. Add a zero? Your best ROI is high efficiency heating.

Obviously if you going to do a gut and rebuild the upgrades fall right into place.
 
Initial quote is 20k from LOWES. Waiting for the paper copy as it includes everything, which a lot of it I can buy elsewhere cheaper, and I'm already sourcing material on FB MP and Kijiji.

House wrap - $140+tax at HD...Kijiji...$90/roll.
 
Gary said:
Sounds like expanding foam was used.....on the threshold at least.
You can cut it out. Remove 'silly cone' seal along the bottom, and start slicing the foam until it settles in the centre. A 2x4" cut to your "perfect" vertical opening size, to gently bend the sill plate down should help get it right.
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Thanks I'll give that a try. Was going to try to modify the sweep on the door but fixing the sill would be the better option.
 
MP I liked your spread sheet but I didn't see any allowance for scrap. How short of a cut off can still be used? With tile or flooring I'd always add an extra 5%.
 
timtune said:
MP I liked your spread sheet but I didn't see any allowance for scrap. How short of a cut off can still be used? With tile or flooring I'd always add an extra 5%.
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I actually added 5% to the total to account for scrap.

Got the price and it’s about 13k for materials. Not including insulation and strapping.

The 20k price included the lap siding and also the board and batten (about 2k more than lap).

I also added for the shed as I’d like to make them the same…2300sqft total.

Now we’re debating what to put on the lower 2-3ft of the house. Some type of brick or stone veneer…not cheap.

$18/sqft for stone.
 
mimico_polak said:
I actually added 5% to the total to account for scrap.

Got the price and it’s about 13k for materials. Not including insulation and strapping.

The 20k price included the lap siding and also the board and batten (about 2k more than lap).

I also added for the shed as I’d like to make them the same…2300sqft total.

Now we’re debating what to put on the lower 2-3ft of the house. Some type of brick or stone veneer…not cheap.

$18/sqft for stone.
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Who's installing? Stone veneer installed is tragic. I've never tried to do it myself to know whether that is a good plan or if it is worth the money.
 
GreyGhost said:
Who's installing? Stone veneer installed is tragic. I've never tried to do it myself to know whether that is a good plan or if it is worth the money.
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Dad and I are installing. Waiting for a siding quote for Monday so we will see. If it’s a 10k difference I may let them do it.

Electrician said it’s not worth moving the mast, so I’ll check with another one.

HVAC guy also said to build around the meter instead of pushing everything out for 3”.
 
mimico_polak said:
Dad and I are installing. Waiting for a siding quote for Monday so we will see. If it’s a 10k difference I may let them do it.

Electrician said it’s not worth moving the mast, so I’ll check with another one.

HVAC guy also said to build around the meter instead of pushing everything out for 3”.
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If you go on Youtube at all, there is a guy named RR Buildings that installs a lot of stone veneer onto some really fancy looking barns/shops. He's a super talented builder and if you watch him install it he has a lot of tips and tricks. I think the product he uses is Versetta Stone.
 
Removed and bleached the mold on the bathroom ceiling and walls, scraped off the paint where it has chipped. Cleaned the exhaust fan. Stripped wallpaper off of the bulkhead. Still have to scrub brush the wall reliefs, sand down, fill, and repaint the ceiling.

Edit: Everyone should go and clean their bathroom exhaust fan.
 
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sburns said:
I wouldn't use bleach to clean mold, leave that for laundry. It might just bleaching/white the mold and just hide it.
Use a mold cleaning product instead like Concrobium Mold Control:
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I know of one small spot in the attic that has some staining that may be mold. Long story but basically the eaves guys dumped the upper roof run off onto the lower shingles . Bleach apparently has a surface only effect while supposedly Concrobium soaks in and gets rid of the whole thing. That's what Concrobium says any way.

Getting ready for new shingles, I want to add more soffit vents. I wasn't around when the soffit and facia was done and don't know if the installer opened up the usually inadequate existing vents or even removed the screens. The soffit is vented but I'd perfer something more positive. The roofers can add the top vents. I'm not sure about what vents to use as I don't want to rip off the aluminum soffit.
 
nobbie48 said:
I know of one small spot in the attic that has some staining that may be mold. Long story but basically the eaves guys dumped the upper roof run off onto the lower shingles . Bleach apparently has a surface only effect while supposedly Concrobium soaks in and gets rid of the whole thing. That's what Concrobium says any way.

Getting ready for new shingles, I want to add more soffit vents. I wasn't around when the soffit and facia was done and don't know if the installer opened up the usually inadequate existing vents or even removed the screens. The soffit is vented but I'd perfer something more positive. The roofers can add the top vents. I'm not sure about what vents to use as I don't want to rip off the aluminum soffit.
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I used the maxxvent pagoda looking things up top. Had them install one more than I probably required. If I ever decide I have too much flow, I can block one off relatively easily from the attic (well much easier than cutting another one in).

Soffits are almost 100% perf aluminum with foam channels to allow flow past blown insulation.
 
Second quote came in for siding....50k for the JH installed with trim...but no insulation.

Do these contractors not listen? I was crystal clear I want the insulation!

Went over my plan with my architect buddy...of course he had to kill the dream...

1. Shouldn't do horizontal furring strips because water may get trapped and rot (so do vertical - also recommended by a GTAMer recently)
2. Need air break b/w the brick and the rigid insulation so you let the brick breathe...but since you're not wood frame...may be ok. Frakkin hell

So now I'm questioning my sanity and what I'm getting myself into...
 
mimico_polak said:
Second quote came in for siding....50k for the JH installed with trim...but no insulation.

Do these contractors not listen? I was crystal clear I want the insulation!

Went over my plan with my architect buddy...of course he had to kill the dream...

1. Shouldn't do horizontal furring strips because water may get trapped and rot (so do vertical - also recommended by a GTAMer recently)
2. Need air break b/w the brick and the rigid insulation so you let the brick breathe...but since you're not wood frame...may be ok. Frakkin hell

So now I'm questioning my sanity and what I'm getting myself into...
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50K is five brand new Speedmasters....
 
@mimico_polak as for the sanity of the plan, we have been working along the idea of, to quote Arnim Zola "The sanity of the plan is of no consequence.... Because he can do it."

As you know the ROI is terrible. IMO your brick is not my favourite but also not that bad to justify the costs based on cosmetics and others may like it (and covering may be negative resale...). Your construction is "double brick" and it does not transfer heat like (as bad as) stick construction without insulation. Insulation outside of the thermal mass is better than inside but....

What I would do (and more or less am doing):
  • Avoid using credit if possible.
  • Do an energy audit.
  • Steer into the skid and do trim colours that make the brick work the best it can.
  • Focus on air leaks as that is likely one of your biggest issues if you have old windows etc.
  • Replace windows and doors that are not special. Original architectural ones can have weather stripping added to make them sealed up.
  • Insulate all the rim joists, cut small holes in the basement ceiling to do so.
  • Insulate the area that are not brick outside (like bay windows, dormers etc.).
  • Attic insulation, from what I remember you posted you did this one.
  • Heat pump if not already there.
  • In some key rooms where there is concern or a reno insulate from the inside but keep R value down (like discussed), I would do 2" closed cell foam over the current wall board and drywall on-top.
On the last point, outside is better thermal mass wise, dew point in the brick, etc..... but going inside if one must I would leave the existing wall board in place, it is likely rock-lathe which is crazy heavy to dispose of but also given the age asbestos in the plaster and lead in the paint is a removal (and disposal) concern, specially living in the house.

For brick colour there are evil designers that paint it... but I have seen masonry stain that can do wonders these days, worth investigating if it is a problem.
 
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@mimico , shouldn’t you be busy helping those city guys that lost a 4million dollar boring machine 7 meters short of the goal posts ?

I heard somebody forgot to look at a map , but it must be more complicated than that , or not


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